Our vote will become an MLA-minister, and will pay taxes with our own pocket money, this happens somewhere?

In many states of the country, the public fills the income tax of ministers and MLAs. Their income tax is filled from the government treasury. Now a voice has arisen against this in Telangana. Learn what is the law in UP, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal.

Ministers and MLAs are for the service of the public. But in many states of the country, even today, income tax of Chief Minister, Cabinet Ministers and other honorable is paid from the government treasury. This ‘practice’ has been going on for years, which has now been challenged in Telangana. There has been a demand in a publicized petition filed in the High Court that why should those who reach the power by becoming an MLA by our own vote, should their income tax be filled with our own money? On this, the Telangana High Court has issued a notice to the state government and asked why this practice should be stopped. A few months ago, the Madhya Pradesh government had completely banned the same practice implemented here. The Government of UP and Himachal Pradesh have also ended such exemption.

Government fills income tax of these people
In fact, in Telangana, apart from the Chief Minister, Cabinet Ministers, the income tax of all the government advisors with the government, deputy speakers, the chairman of the Legislative Council, the Deputy Chairman and the cabinet rank is paid from the government treasury. Describing it as arbitrary expenses of public earnings, the Forum for Good Governance NGO has challenged in the High Court. Their demand is that these provisions of Section 3 (4) of the storm and pension payment and disqualification Act, 1953 should be eradicated. The Chief Minister, Minister and all other people should fill their income tax on their own.

When they get salary like everyone…
A division bench of Telangana High Court Chief Justice Alok Aradh and Justice Jukti Anil Kumar considered it a serious subject. The court asked the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (GAD) to admit the answer soon. The petitioner argues that the Chief Minister, Minister and others are public servants. They get salary from the state government. When they are paid, they are responsible for paying income tax like all other citizens. When the state was divided, the Telangana government changed the law and enacted a law with its help. Since then, the government is filling the income tax government. This law should be canceled.

UP-MP-Himachal has already been finished

• The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet changed the law in 2022. It was clearly said that all the ministers and MLAs will fill their income tax with their pockets. The government is not going to pay a single penny for this.
• In 2019, the Uttar Pradesh government had amended the law giving exemption to the Chief Minister and other ministers from paying their income tax. Now all the ministers and students here pay their income tax on their own.
• The Madhya Pradesh government decided a few months ago that the state ministers will pay their salaries and allowances themselves. With this, the law made in 1972 ended, under which the state government used to pay their income tax from the Emergency Fund.